SUVA – The Registrar of Political Parties in Fiji has suspended the opposition National Federation Party for 30 days with immediate effect.

A statement from the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) said the party contravened a section of the Political Parties Decree 2013.

The NFP had provided its 2013-2014 accounts to the registrar but they were not audited by an accountant certified by the Fiji Institute of Accountants (FIA) as required by the decree.

“This was brought to the FEO’s attention in December 2015 by the FIA. We asked the company engaged by NFP whether it was a registered member of FIA and senior members confirmed that it was not,” the Registrar of Political Parties, Mohammed Saneem, said.

“ This constitutes a breach of Section 26(2) of the Decree.”

The NFP has 60 days to remedy the breach or face deregistration as a political party.

During this period of suspension, NFP can not operate, function, represent or hold itself out to be a political party.

An opposition MP in Fiji says the suspension of the party shows the country is not a real democracy.

The suspension comes as the NFP was considering pulling its three MPs out of parliament, saying it was hamstrung in its ability by restrictions and a lack of resources,

Tupou Draunidalo said she wasn’t completely shocked by the move.

“It doesn’t come as a surprise. Our party has always been prepared for the worst. It comes as no surprise. We’ve talked about this for a long time. That we are not in a real democracy, we are in a totalitarian state with a dictator. They like to give the appearance of a democracy but we are not and they just go around doing these sorts of things.”

“The accounts have been audited and given on time as usual but they just don’t agree with who the accountant is – and there is disagreement about the interpretation of the decree and the act that they quote. Our party is known for doing things strictly by the book.”

She was asked why she thought the elections office took the action just as the NFP was about to announce it was pulling out of parliament anyway.

“Because they are control freaks. They like to make all the decisions. So instead of the party announcing the decision its made, they have gone ahead and announced the decision that they’ve made. That’s the kind of environment we find ourselves in.

“We are looking at our options and we have also got our lawyers looking at it and various statements made by the supervisor.

“We, me and my colleagues, are not people who take to bullies very well. We don’t cower to bullies. That’s all I can say for now.”

Speaking to The Fiji Times, Party leader Professor Biman Prasad also said the party was seeking legal advice on the suspension.

“We cannot operate as a political party, but I can talk on the suspension which means we have been given 30 days to comply with this so-called breach of the Political Parties Decree.”

- PNC sources